EP3390068B1 - Object comprising information, and method for applying and reading the information to/on the object - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an object with a printing area, a method for applying information to the object and a method for reading out information from the object.

Traditionally, products are labeled in different ways. For example, a product can be provided with a barcode or a QR code, which, for example, are printed on a packaging of the product. The barcode and the QR code can be recorded using an optical process and the product can be identified by comparing it with a database. A product can also be provided with a serial number which, for example, can be engraved in the product. Here, too, the serial number can be recorded using the optical method. However, it is disadvantageous that the optical method becomes prone to errors due to contamination.

It is also possible to label a product magnetically. For example, a parking ticket has a magnetic film that can be written on by magnetization. The recorded film can then be read out by a magnetic method.

The documents WO 2013/139969 A1 , US 2014/077485 A1 , DE 10 2005 042895 A1 and DE 10 2007 052477 A1 disclose objects with magnetic information.

Furthermore, document discloses DE 10 2010 041398 A1 an article according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is also customary to provide products or living beings with a transponder, for example, in an RFID (radio-frequency identification, German: identification with the aid of electromagnetic waves) method. The transponder has an identifying code that can be read out using a reader. However, the disadvantage of the RFID method is the comparatively high costs, especially for the transponder.

The object of the invention is to create an object that is labeled with information in an alternative manner and to create an alternative method for applying the information and an alternative method for reading out the information.

The object is achieved with the features of claims 1, 10 and 13.

The subject matter of the invention is defined in claim 1.

The different magnetic properties can consist in that the subregions are magnetized or not magnetized, that the subregions are magnetically hard or soft magnetic, that the subregions are magnetically anisotropic or magnetically isotropic, that the subregions are anisotropic in different spatial directions and / or that the sub-areas are ferromagnetic or non-ferromagnetic. The colored printing medium can have any color as well as the color black and / or the color white. The printing medium can be a magnetic ink, for example. The magnetic ink can be applied to the object, for example by hand or by means of an ink jet printer.

By means of the object, it is advantageously possible to accommodate additional information in the pattern due to the different magnetic properties. As a result, information can be accommodated on the object in a space-saving manner or it is possible to have more information on an area of the object than is possible with the pattern alone. The subregions with the different magnetic properties can be applied in such a way that they are invisible to the human eye or to an optical measuring method, so that it it is also possible to hide information in the pattern.

The at least two sub-areas are preferably arranged independently of the optically recognizable pattern in such a way that at least one edge section of one of the sub-areas does not coincide with an edge section of a monochrome pattern area of the pattern.

It is preferred that the printing area has at least one inhomogeneous area, wherein the inhomogeneous area either has a uniform color and a non-uniform magnetization, or has a uniform magnetization and a non-uniform color. This makes it possible to combine colored information and magnetic information. It is possible to encode information in such a way that this information can only be read if the colored information and the magnetic information are brought together. This makes it possible to encrypt information more strongly than would be possible if the colored information and the magnetic information were encrypted independently of one another.

It is preferred that the printing medium has a dye and / or pigments, the pigments have the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles, and / or the printing medium has a degree of filling of 40% by volume to 70% by volume of the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles Has particles. Incidentally, the pressure medium essentially has a binding agent, it also being possible for a solvent to be provided in addition. The binder ensures that the printing medium adheres to the object. The solvent can be provided to dissolve the dye. Due to the proportion of 40% by volume to 70% by volume of magnetizable and / or magnetic particles, a strong magnetizability of the pattern with, at the same time, strong adhesion is advantageously achieved. A filling level of approximately 50% by volume is particularly preferred here. For reasons of cost, it is particularly advantageous if the pigments have the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles because it is not necessary to provide the magnetizable particles in addition to the dye and / or the pigments.

It is preferred that the magnetizable particles have pigments, ceramic particles and / or rare earth metals, the magnetic particles have hard magnetic particles, pigments, micromagnets, ceramic particles and / or rare earth metals and / or a mean value of a distribution of sizes of the magnetizable and / or magnetic Particle smaller than 2 µm. Hard magnetic particles are advantageous because they have high magnetic field strengths. Pigments are beneficial because they act as both magnets and a dye. Ceramic metals are advantageous because of their chemical resistance. Rare earth metals have high magnetic field strengths. If the magnetizable particles are, for example, spherical, the size denotes the particle diameter. If the shape of the magnetizable particles deviates from the spherical shape, the size is the longest dimension occurring in the magnetizable particle. Due to the small size of the particles, the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles, especially if they are hard magnetic particles that are already magnetized, can be aligned particularly easily in an external magnetic field and thus a particularly strong magnetization of the subregions can be achieved.

It is preferred that the pressure area has an anisotropic area, the anisotropic area having a magnetic anisotropy with a preferred direction of magnetization, and the pressure area having a further anisotropic area, the preferred direction of magnetization of the anisotropic area being different from a preferred direction of magnetization of the further anisotropic area is different. Thus, transitions from one sub-area to another sub-area can advantageously be made simply by changing the direction of the magnetic field strength vectors detect. Additional information, which is coded by means of the direction of the magnetic field strength vectors, can also be accommodated in the pattern.

It is preferred that information from a group comprising information that can be magnetically detected from the partial areas and optically detectable information contained in the optically detectable pattern can be evaluated as a function of the other information contained in the group. This allows information to be encrypted advantageously. The information can only be decrypted if both the optically detectable data and the magnetically detectable data are read out. It is preferred that an item of information from the group has a logical key, the logical key being usable for decrypting the other information contained in the group and / or for verifying the other information contained in the group. As a result, the key for decrypting the encrypted data is advantageously supplied with the item.

The object preferably has an industrial product, an industrially produced product, a ticket for an event, a ticket for local public transport, a ticket for a toll payment, a ticket for a parking process, a packaging for orders, a packaging for products, a label and / or a packaging for medication, and from the at least two subareas a product identification, a batch number of a production, a place of production, a date of production, a best-before date, a test mark of a test center of the object, a product name, a serial number is preferred , a characteristic product identifier and / or a time can be derived.

It is preferred that, from the at least two partial areas, use information relating to a use of the object is provided in a form for using the object Device can be derived. Automation can thus advantageously be achieved when using the object in the device.

It is preferred that one of the at least two sub-areas is essentially non-magnetized, one of the at least two sub-areas has a magnetic pole orientation and / or magnetic anisotropy perpendicular or parallel to a printing surface of the printing area, and / or the at least two sub-areas one with one Magnetic reading process have detectable binary coding. An advantageously error-free readout can take place if there is a transition from an essentially non-magnetized sub-area to a magnetized sub-area or if the alignment of the magnetic field strength vectors is perpendicular or parallel to the printing surface. A binary coding can also be read out easily, in particular if the binary coding is created by the essentially non-magnetized subregions and the magnetized subregions or by subregions with oppositely directed magnetic field strength vectors.

The method according to the invention for applying information to an object with a printing area is defined in claim 10. The oversight can take place when the printing area is applied to the object, or it can be any later. According to the invention it is provided that the information written by the at least two partial areas is deleted and / or is overwritten with new information. This advantageously makes it possible to accommodate information in the printing area in a variable manner.

In order to prevent agglomeration of the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles before printing, the printing medium can be stirred and / or a screen can be provided in a flow of the printing medium, the meshes of which are dimensioned such that individual magnetizable and / or magnetic particles can penetrate the sieve, while agglomerates of the particles are retained by the sieve.

The method preferably has the step: magnetizing at least one sub-area of the printing area, so that the printing area has at least two sub-areas with mutually different magnetic properties.

The method preferably has the following step: before a binding agent of the printing medium is cured, forming a magnetic field in at least a part of the printing area with alignment of the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles of the printing medium along the field lines of the magnetic field to generate a magnetically anisotropic area. This is particularly suitable for hard magnetic particles that are already present in the pressure medium in the magnetized state. The partial areas with the different magnetic properties are created in that the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles are oriented by the magnetic field and this orientation is frozen by the hardening of the binding agent. According to the invention, the information written by the at least two partial areas can be erased and / or overwritten with new information, preferably by melting the binding agent and creating a new magnetic field in at least one part of the printing area. The method according to the invention for reading out information from an object with a printing area is defined in claim 13. It is also possible to accommodate information redundantly in the optically encoded information and in the magnetically encoded information. In the event that contamination is present, the information can still be reliably detected from the magnetically encoded information. Similarly, in the event that the magnetically encoded information has been overwritten by a magnetic field, the information can still be reliably detected from the optically encoded information.

The method preferably has the step of: determining further information as a function of the optically encoded information and the magnetically encoded information. It is preferred that the magnetically encoded information has a magnetic anisotropy of a partial area of the pattern.

• Figur 1 einen ersten Gegenstand,
• Figur 2 ein Detail aus Figur 1,
• Figur 3 einen zweiten Gegenstand,
• Figur 4 einen dritten Gegenstand,
• Figur 5 einen vierten Gegenstand und
• Figur 6 einen fünften Gegenstand.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the attached schematic drawing. Show it

• Figure 1 a first item,
• Figure 2 a detail Figure 1 ,
• Figure 3 a second item,
• Figure 4 a third item,
• Figure 5 a fourth item and
• Figure 6 a fifth item.

How it looks Figures 1 and 3 to 6 can be seen, shows a Object 1 has a print area 2. In the pressure area 2 there is a particle which can be magnetized and / or is magnetic 7 having, colored printing means printed, optically recognizable pattern 3 arranged. The printing area 2 has at least two partial areas 4, 5 with mutually different magnetic properties.

The different magnetic properties can be that the at least two subregions 4, 5 are magnetized or not magnetized, that the subregions 4, 5 are hard magnetic or soft magnetic, that the subregions 4, 5 are magnetically anisotropic or magnetically isotropic, that the subregions 4, 5 are anisotropic in different spatial directions and / or that the subregions 4, 5 are ferromagnetic or non-ferromagnetic.

The printing medium can be a magnetic ink, for example. The pressure medium or the ink have a degree of filling of 40% by volume to 70% by volume, in particular a degree of filling of approximately 50% by volume, of the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7. The remainder is essentially a solvent and / or a binder. The printing medium or the ink can have a dye and / or pigments. The pigments can have the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 and / or the pigments can consist of the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7.

The magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 can have hard magnetic particles, pigments, micro-magnets, ceramic particles and / or rare earth metals. Furthermore, the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles can have an average value of a distribution of sizes of the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 smaller than 2 μm. For example, the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 can be spherical. In this case, the size is the particle diameter. It is also conceivable that the shape of the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 deviates from the spherical shape. In this case, the size is the longest in the magnetizable and / or magnetic particle 7 occurring dimension.

In the first item 1 according to Figure 1 the at least two partial areas 4, 5 are arranged independently of the optically recognizable pattern 3 in such a way that at least one edge section 14 of one of the partial areas 4, 5 is not arranged in correspondence with an edge section of a monochrome pattern area of the pattern 3. In the first object 1, the printing area 2 is printed in one color and has the shape of a rectangle. The printing area 2 has two subareas 4, 5, the subarea 5 having a specific, readable shape. In this case, the specific, readable form is a letter, although any other forms are also conceivable. The remainder of the printing area 2 is formed by the sub-area 4.

Figure 2 shows a detail from Figure 1 namely a section of the printing area 2 in which both the sub-area 4 and the sub-area 5 are present. How it looks Figure 2 As can be seen, both partial areas 4, 5 have the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7. The magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 according to Figure 2 have a north pole and a south pole, which means that they are magnetized. For example, the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 according to FIG. 2 can be hard magnetic particles. In the sub-area 5, the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 are all aligned in the same direction, so that a macroscopic magnetization results in the sub-area 5, which means that the sub-area 5 is magnetized. The magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 in the sub-area 4 are oriented statistically in the spatial directions, so that there is no macroscopic magnetization, which means that the sub-area 4 is not magnetized.

How it looks Figures 1 and 2 As can be seen, the printing area 2 has at least one inhomogeneous area 6, the inhomogeneous area 6 having a uniform color and a non-uniform magnetization. As an alternative to this, it is conceivable that the inhomogeneous region 6 has a uniform magnetization and a non-uniform color. It is also conceivable that the printing area has both at least one inhomogeneous area 6 with a uniform color and non-uniform magnetization and at least one further inhomogeneous area 6 with a non-uniform color and uniform magnetization.

The second item 1 according to Figure 3 differs from the first item 1 according to FIG Figures 1 and 2 in that the sub-area 5 has the form of a best-before date 8. In addition, the printing area 2 is not monochrome, but has lettering.

The third item 1 according to Figure 4 has at least two partial areas 4, 5, from which a test mark 10 of a test center of the third object 1 can be derived. Use information 9 relating to a use of the object 1 in a device provided for using the object 1 can also be derived from the at least two partial areas 4, 5. For example, this usage information can be directional information in which the third object 1 is to be introduced into the device. The at least two sub-areas 4, 5 according to FIG Figure 4 furthermore have a binary code 11 that can be detected using a magnetic reading method.

The fourth item 1 according to Figure 5 is a parking ticket. The fourth object 1 has the printing area 2 on which optically detectable information is printed. Magnetically detectable information, such as a time of day, is applied from the at least two partial areas.

The fifth item 1 according to Figure 6 is characterized in that information from a group comprising information that can be magnetically detected from subregions 4, 5 and optically detectable information contained in the optically detectable pattern 3 can be evaluated as a function of the other information contained in the group. Information from the group has a logical key 12, the logical key 12 being usable for decrypting the other information contained in the group and / or for verifying the other information contained in the group. In the fifth item 1 according to Figure 6 the logical key 12 is formed by the at least two partial areas 4, 5 and the encrypted information 13 is given by the optically recognizable pattern 3. However, it is also conceivable to form the logical key 12 from the optically recognizable pattern 3 and to form the encrypted information from the at least two partial areas 4, 5.

The items 1 according to Figures 1 to 6 can be an industrial product, a ticket for an event, a ticket for public transport, a ticket for a toll payment, a ticket for a parking process, a packaging for orders, a packaging for products and / or a packaging for medicines. From the at least two partial areas 4, 5 of the objects 1 according to FIG Figures 1 to 6 a product identification, a batch number of a production, a place of production, a date of production, a best-before date 8, a test mark 10 of a test center of the item 1 and / or a time can be derived.

The method for applying information to the objects 1 according to FIG Figures 1 to 6 has the step: -Magnetizing at least two partial areas 4, 5 with mutually different magnetic properties in the printing area 2. Furthermore, the method can have the step: - before a binding agent of the printing medium is hardened, Forming a magnetic field in at least a part of the printing area with alignment of the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 of the printing medium along the field lines of the magnetic field to generate a magnetically anisotropic area. Furthermore, the method can have the step: before a binding agent of the printing medium is hardened, forming a further magnetic field, the magnetic field lines of which are opposite to the magnetic field, in another part of the printing area with alignment of the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 of the printing medium along the field lines of the further magnetic field to generate a further magnetically anisotropic area.

The method for reading out information from the objects 1 according to FIG Figures 1 to 6 has the following steps: determining an optically encoded information which can be derived from the pattern 3, and determining a magnetically encoded information which can be magnetically detected from the magnetic subregions 4, 5. The magnetically encoded information can be determined, for example, by measuring the induction, the Hall effect and / or the magnetoresistive effect. Furthermore, the method can have the step: determining further information as a function of the optically encoded information and the magnetically encoded information. The magnetically encoded information can have a magnetic anisotropy of a partial area of the pattern.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of four examples.

In a first example, an object 1 has a printing area 2, with an optically recognizable pattern 3 printed with a magnetizable and / or magnetic particle 7 having a colored printing medium being arranged in the printing area 2, and the printing area 2 having at least two partial areas 4, 5 having mutually different magnetic properties, the portion 4 being ferromagnetic Has particles as the magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 and the sub-area 5 has no magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7.

The object 1 according to the first example can be produced by magnetizing the at least two partial areas 4, 5 with mutually different magnetic properties in the pressure area 2 by using two different pressure media, the pressure medium for the partial area 4 being the ferromagnetic particles and the pressure medium for the sub-area 5 does not have any ferromagnetic particles. The two printing means can have the same color or a different color.

In a second example, a method for applying information to an object 1 with a printing area 2, wherein in the printing area 2 an optically recognizable pattern 3 printed with a magnetizable and / or magnetic particle 7 is arranged, printed with a colored printing medium - Stirring the printing medium before printing the pattern 3 and / or guiding the printing medium before printing the pattern 3 through a screen whose meshes are dimensioned such that individual magnetizable and / or magnetic particles 7 can pass through the screen, agglomerated particles however, be retained by the sieve; Magnetizing at least two partial areas 4, 5 with mutually different magnetic properties in the printing area 2. The second example is particularly suitable when the printing medium is an ink.

In a third example, an object 1 has a printing area 2, with an optically recognizable pattern 3 printed with a magnetizable and / or magnetic particle 7 having a colored printing medium being arranged in the printing area 2, so that the printing area 2 has optically detectable information , and wherein the printing area 2 has at least two partial areas 4, 5 with mutually different magnetic properties, so that the printing area 2 has magnetically detectable information, the optically detectable information and the magnetically detectable information having the same information. It is possible here for the pattern 3 to be identical to at least one of the partial areas 4, 5. It is also possible for the at least one partial area 4, 5 to be different from the pattern 3. Here, for example, the pattern 3 is a lettering and the at least two partial areas 4, 5 form a binary code.

In a fourth example, an object 1 has a printing area 2, with an optically recognizable pattern 3 printed with a magnetizable and / or magnetic particle 7 having a colored printing medium being arranged in the printing area 2, and with the printing area 2 at least two partial areas 4 , 5 having mutually different magnetic properties. An item of information from a group comprising information that can be magnetically detected from the subregions 4, 5 and optically detectable information contained in the optically detectable pattern 3 can be evaluated as a function of the other information contained in the group. Information from the group has a logical key 12, the logical key 12 being usable for decrypting the other information contained in the group and / or for verifying the other information contained in the group. At least one of the sub-areas 4, 5 is square and the logical key 12 is the size of the square. Alternatively, the pattern 3 has a square and the logic key 12 is the size of the square.

List of reference symbols

1

object

2

Pressure area

3

template

4th

first part

5

second sub-area

6th

inhomogeneous area

7th

magnetizable and / or magnetic particles

8th

Best before date

9

Usage information

10

Certification mark

11

binary coding

12th

logical key

13th

encrypted information

14th

Edge section

Claims (15)

1. An object (1) having a printed region (2), wherein

   - in the printed region (2), an optically identifiable pattern (3) is arranged, which is printed with a colored printing medium that has magnetizable and/or magnetic particles (7),

   - the printed region (2) has at least two subregions (4, 5) with different magnetic properties from each other, characterized in that the information that is written by means of the at least two subregions can be deleted and/or overwritten with new information.
2. The object (1) of claim 1, wherein

   - the at least two subregions (4, 5) are arranged independently of the optically identifiable pattern (3) in such a way that at least an edge section (14) of one of the subregions (4, 5) is arranged so that it does not coincide with an edge section of a monochrome pattern region of the pattern (3) .
3. The object (1) of claim 1 or 2, wherein

   - the printed region (2) has at least one non-homogenous region (6), wherein the non-homogenous region (6) has either

   + a uniform color and a non-uniform magnetization, or

   + a uniform magnetization and a non-uniform color.
4. The object (1) of one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - the printing medium includes a colorant and/or pigments,

   - the pigments include the magnetizable and/or magnetic particles,

   - the printing medium has a filling degree of 40% by volume to 70% by volume of the magnetizable and/or magnetic particles,

   - the magnetizable particles (7) include pigments, ceramic particles, and/or rare earth metals,

   - the magnetic particles include hard magnetic particles, pigments, micromagnets, ceramic particles, and/or rare earth metals, and/or

   - a mean value of a size distribution of the magnetizable particles (7) is less than 2 µm.
5. The object (1) of one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - one of the subregions is an anisotropic region, wherein the anisotropic region has a magnetic anisotropy with a preferred magnetization direction, and

   - wherein another of the subregions is another anisotropic region, wherein the preferred magnetization direction of the anisotropic region is different from a preferred magnetization direction of the other anisotropic region.
6. The object (1) of one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - a piece of information from a group, which includes

   + a piece of information that can be magnetically identified from the subregions (4, 5) and

   + an optically recognizable piece of information contained within the optically identifiable pattern (3),

   can be evaluated in dependence on the other piece of information contained in the group.
7. The object (1) of claim 6, wherein

   - one piece of information from the group has a logical key (12) and the logical key (12) can be used to decode the other piece of information contained in the group and/or to verify the other piece of information contained in the group.
8. The object (1) of one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - the object (1) includes an industrial product, an industrially produced product, a ticket for an event, a ticket for local public transport, a ticket for a toll payment, a ticket for parking, a package for orders, a package for products, a label, and/or a package for drugs, and

   - it is possible to infer from the at least two subregions (4, 5) a product identification, a production batch number, a production location, a production date, an expiration date (8), a certification mark (10) of an inspection authority of the object (1), a product name, a serial number, a characteristic product symbol, and/or a time,
   in particular wherein

   - it is possible to infer from the at least two subregions (4, 5) a usage information (9) about a use of the object (1) in a device provided for the use of the object (1).
9. The object (1) of one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - one (4) of the at least two subregions (4, 5) is essentially unmagnetized,

   - one of the at least two subregions (4, 5) has a magnetic pole orientation and/or a magnetic anisotropy perpendicular or parallel to a printing surface of the printed region, and/or

   - the at least two subregions (4, 5) have a binary encoding (11) that can be detected using a magnetic reading method.
10. A method for applying information to an object (1) having a printed region (2), wherein in the printed region (2), an optically identifiable pattern (3) is arranged, which is printed with a colored printing medium that has magnetizable and/or magnetic particles (7), comprising

    - providing at least two subregions (4, 5) of the printed region (2) with different magnetic properties from each other, characterized by

    - deleting the information that is written by means of the at least two subregions and/or overwriting the information that is written by means of the at least two subregions with new information.
11. The method of claim 10, comprising

    - magnetizing at least one subregion (4, 5) of the printed region (2) so that the printed region (2) has at least two subregions (4, 5) with different magnetic properties from each other.
12. The method of claim 10 or 11, comprising

    - before a curing of a binding agent of the printing medium, forming a magnetic field in at least one part of the printed region with orienting the magnetizable and/or magnetic particles of the printing medium along the field lines of the magnetic field in order to generate a magnetically anisotropic region,

    - melting the binding agent and forming a new magnetic field in at least part of the printed region.
13. A method for reading information from an object (1) having a printed region (2), wherein in the printed region (2), an optically identifiable pattern (3) is arranged, which is printed with a colored printing medium that has magnetizable particles (7), and the printed region (2) has at least two subregions (4, 5) with different magnetic properties from each other, comprising

    - determining a piece of optically encoded information that can be inferred from the pattern (3), and

    - determining a piece of magnetically encoded information that can be magnetically identified from the magnetic subregions (4, 5),
    characterized by

    - deleting the information that is written by means of the at least two subregions and/or overwriting the information that is written by means of the at least two subregions with new information.
14. The method of claim 13, comprising

    - determining an additional piece of information in dependence on the optically encoded information and the magnetically encoded information.
15. The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein

    - the magnetically encoded information has a magnetic anisotropy of a subregion of the pattern.

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